Making Congress earn its paycheck

Published: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 04:31 PM.

A recent Rasmussen poll reported that more than 80 percent of Americans support a 25 percent pay cut for members of Congress until the federal budget is balanced.

That was the first time such an idea has edged onto our collective radar screens. It’s such a hopelessly simple idea that there would be little chance such a thing could come to fruition — or could it?

This week, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would suspend the nation’s debt ceiling until May 19. That bill also included a provision originated in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives known as “no budget, no pay.”

“No budget, no pay” would temporarily withhold salary from any member of the House or Senate whose chamber doesn’t pass a budget this year.

There are some real problems with such a measure. Constitutionally it could “vary” the pay of lawmakers in violation of the 27th Amendment, according to the Associated Press. Members of a minority party would be penalized even though they may have no power over whether a budget is approved. And it does favor wealthy officer holders.

Sure it’s a gimmicky idea; but we might be a nation in need of gimmicks right now as intelligent thought appears to be in such short supply.

It’s also a clear sign of how low a supposedly august body has tumbled.

A recent Rasmussen poll reported that more than 80 percent of Americans support a 25 percent pay cut for members of Congress until the federal budget is balanced.

That was the first time such an idea has edged onto our collective radar screens. It’s such a hopelessly simple idea that there would be little chance such a thing could come to fruition — or could it?

This week, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would suspend the nation’s debt ceiling until May 19. That bill also included a provision originated in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives known as “no budget, no pay.”

“No budget, no pay” would temporarily withhold salary from any member of the House or Senate whose chamber doesn’t pass a budget this year.

There are some real problems with such a measure. Constitutionally it could “vary” the pay of lawmakers in violation of the 27th Amendment, according to the Associated Press. Members of a minority party would be penalized even though they may have no power over whether a budget is approved. And it does favor wealthy officer holders.

Sure it’s a gimmicky idea; but we might be a nation in need of gimmicks right now as intelligent thought appears to be in such short supply.

It’s also a clear sign of how low a supposedly august body has tumbled.

And let’s face it, members of Congress really haven’t been earning their pay lately — now have they?